The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer left CERN on the morning of February 12th, marking the beginning of a journey that will eventually lead to its launch into space. The European Space Agency’s research and technology center, ESTEC, located in Noordwijk in the Netherlands, is ready for the experiment when it arrives, and will begin testing its ability to operate in space.
Before preparing for its delivery, some preliminary tests were done on AMS. The next step in testing will be carried out at ESTEC and will involve placing AMS in ESA’s thermo vacuum room to test the detector’s ability to maintain its thermal balance. This is especially important where the detector’s superconducting magnet is concerned. It’s the first of its kind to be launched into space.
While the AMS is scheduled to be delivered to Kennedy Space Center towards the end of May, the experiment’s spokesman, Sam Ting, says it may first go back to CERN for a final check.
If all goes as planned, AMS will lift off aboard the space shuttle Discovery in July 2010. It will dock at the ISS and begin searching for dark matter and antimatter in a program that is complementary to that of the Large Hadron Collider.
“The contribution of CERN has been crucial,” said Ting. “Without the work of CERN’s accelerator, magnet and vacuum groups we wouldn’t be at this stage here today.”
[Source: CERN press release]
